India and the ten-member ASEAN can work together to promote decentralised globalisation and resilient and reliable supply chains, the world is increasingly looking for, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar has said.
Developments in the Ukraine and its knock on effects on food and energy security, as well as fertilizer and commodities prices, and logistics and supply chain disruptions, has made the post-pandemic recovery path more arduous, the Minister said in his opening address at the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Thursday.
“A better connected India and ASEAN would be well positioned to promote decentralised globalisation and resilient and reliable supply chains that is so needed by the international community,” the Minister said. The year 2022 is being celebrated as ASEAN-India Friendship Year to mark the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India Partnership. Foreign Ministers from ASEAN states are in New Delhi for the meeting.
ASEAN countries include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand and Vietnam.
Meeting with Modi
The Foreign Ministers also met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed cooperation between India and ASEAN in multiple areas. “Had a good interaction with Foreign Ministers and Representatives of ASEAN countries as we celebrate 30 years of close India-ASEAN cooperation,” the PM tweeted after the meeting..
Noting that the Covid pandemic had not fully abated, the Minister said that there was much ground yet to be covered as nations moved towards post-pandemic recovery. “This path has become even more arduous with geo-political headwinds which we face due to developments in Ukraine and its knock on effects on food and energy security, as well as fertilizer and commodities prices, and logistics and supply chain disruptions,” he added.
Keeping the current global uncertainties in mind, a new set of priorities need to be identified by India and the ASEAN while ensuring the early realisation of ongoing initiatives as the two review their journey of the last 30 years and chart a path for the coming decades, Jaishankar said.